Chapter 4 Variety Show Arrives

Brother Lin greeted us warmly, saying, "We just arrived too, it's not late at all."

As he spoke, he took Lily's bag and arranged it for her.

Jiang Luo followed, "Sister Lily." She tried to smile sweetly.

Lily paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "You seem quite kind."

This is a joke.

Even though the teasing about her appearance made Jiang Luo feel a little uncomfortable, she had to force a smile.

If someone asks for your help, you have no choice but to bow your head.

Brother Lin chimed in, "Our Luo Luo is naturally the obedient and well-behaved type. Those people online are just talking nonsense. Unlike Sister Lily, who has a discerning eye and saw right through Luo Luo's true nature."

He led Lily to her seat, with Jiang Luo following closely behind.

Xiaolin had ordered several dishes in advance and had the kitchen prepare them. After sitting down, he warmly handed the menu to Lily.

Fortunately, Lily didn't intend to overcharge them; she ordered just one dish and returned the menu.

The dishes that had been prepared in advance were served quickly, and the three of them ate and chatted.

Thanks to the tacit understanding cultivated over many years as "comrades-in-arms," ​​Xiaolin was responsible for delivering the damage, while Jiang Luo was responsible for maintaining a smile.

Xiaolin and Lily chatted for half an hour, while Jiang Luo laughed until her cheeks were stiff.

"Thanks to Xiaolin, I was able to come to Longyue today. My friend and I were talking about coming last week, but unfortunately, you have to make a reservation in advance, which is a real hassle. As people get older, they still prefer Chinese food, and they can't get used to French cuisine anymore."

"Huh? Lily must be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, right?"

"I'm almost thirty-five!"

"I can't tell at all!"

...

Xiaolin and Lily exchanged words back and forth, one after another.

The atmosphere was heated up, the groundwork was laid, and then the true intentions were revealed.

While pouring water for Lily, Xiaolin casually asked, "Lily, what have you been up to lately?"

At this point, the dinner party officially got down to business.

Jiang Luo looked over cautiously.

Lily's expression remained unchanged; she was still smiling and seemed completely unguarded.

In fact, undercurrents are swirling.

There's no such thing as a free lunch; everyone knows that.

“Recently,” she said, her eyelids drooping as she rubbed her cup, “I’m preparing for a dating reality show and we’re currently selecting guests.”

Xiaolin moved her lips, about to speak, when Lily suddenly looked up, met Jiang Luo's gaze, and asked, "I wonder if Jiang Luo is interested?"

It turned out that Lily had struck first.

Jiang Luo was surprised, but she immediately understood. If Lily hadn't intended to invite her, she probably wouldn't have accepted Brother Lin's invitation to dinner.

While Lily may appear to be their prey, in reality, Lily is simply going with the flow.

He really is quick-witted.

After considering it for a while, Jiang Luo, wanting to play it safe, said, "I've never participated in a dating reality show before, and I'd really like to give it a try."

“That’s right. Young people should try more new things. The more they try, the more opportunities they will have.” Lily agreed, and then, as if she had opened a floodgate, she talked at length: “Our variety show aims to film celebrities dating ordinary people. It’s down-to-earth and can resonate with people more.”

She lifted her chin slightly. "But don't worry, the ordinary people we choose won't be too plain. At least we'll make sure they're good-looking! Viewers watch variety shows to relax and enjoy the visuals, not to be an eyesore, right?"

Xiaolin and Jiang Luo smiled in unison and nodded frequently, like two puppets.

“In the past, most dating reality shows adopted a combination of reality show and observation room format. This format is too rigid, and the plot is fragmented. If there is a mistake in editing, the viewing experience is very poor, and the margin for error is low. Therefore, we plan to change to a different format.”

With a flicker of her eye, Lily continued, "As for the specific format, we are still discussing and refining it."

It seems they don't plan to reveal any more details for the time being.

Regarding her ideas for variety shows, she touched on the topic briefly before closing the conversation, saying, "We're making a show, after all, not doing charity. If we want the show to be good, we need to invest. Since the guests are all-natural and we've abandoned the traditional observers, how am I going to impress the advertisers? Of course, we still need some exciting moments, right?"

Jiang Luo nodded again.

Kobayashi was the first to grasp the deeper meaning and hesitated. He forced a smile, trying to interrupt, "Sister Lily..."

“I think,” Lily said, completely ignoring Xiaolin and staring straight at Jiang Luo, “if you can maintain your persona, it will be a win-win situation for the show and for you all.”

Um?

Jiang Luo blinked.

Persona?

Does it refer to the "femme fatale" persona?

The villainous woman persona...

So... what Lily is implying is that if she wants to be on the show, she needs to accept the persona she's given and play a villain.

Seeing Jiang Luo's bewildered expression and Xiao Lin's troubled look, Lily remained calm and composed, only raising her voice slightly, "I had to go against everyone's wishes to be able to approach Jiang Luo!"

Lily's eyebrows twitched, and she turned to look at Jiang Luo, propping herself up on her elbow and tapping her fingertips with an air of authority. "Jiang Luo's current situation is not optimistic. Her reputation has plummeted, and the project team members all say they dare not use her. As for the risks, once they erupt, it will definitely be a devastating blow to the show. I believe you all understand this."

With her exquisite and beautiful eyes scanning the two people opposite her, Lily dropped another bombshell: "To be honest, there are plenty of beautiful actresses out there, and quite a few with memorable features and distinct personalities. On my way here alone, I received four calls from agents! I only recommended Jiang Luo because of my friendship with Xiao Lin."

She sighed, her eyes lowered like a willow drooping on a riverbank, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Jiang Luo watched calmly, a sense of admiration rising in her heart.

A producer who doesn't want to be an actor is not a good producer.

Lily perfectly concealed her selfish motives with her superb acting skills.

It seems to be for Jiang Luo's benefit.

It seems like she's doing this for Jiang Luo.

Wrapped inside the warm, plush coat was a cold, thorny heart.

Lily's brainwashing tactics naturally wouldn't affect Jiang Luo's judgment. However, putting all that aside, just considering this opportunity, Jiang Luo was still tempted.

Appearing on this dating reality show is a double-edged sword.

Appearing on the show would not only earn her money but also increase her exposure, which is exactly what she needs right now. It might even help her salvage some of her reputation.

However, if the production team edits the footage maliciously and uses her as a gimmick, she might become a sacrificial lamb.

This is a high-stakes gamble.

It's a gamble on whether the production team has a conscience.

But can things get any worse than they are now?

She hasn't received any invitations for five months.

Rather than becoming cannon fodder to be sacrificed later, she is currently rushing headlong down the path to becoming cannon fodder.

Lily leaned forward slightly, like a rooster about to fight, exuding a strong sense of aggression.

Lily's sharp eyes seemed to see right through Jiang Luo's thoughts, and she went straight to the heart of the matter: "Of course, since I invited you, I will definitely protect you. You don't need to do anything exaggerated, like pulling hair or cursing. Besides, that wouldn't pass censorship, right? I just need to maintain your aloof image, that's all. You're an actress, and your acting skills are good, so this shouldn't be difficult for you."

He spoke very logically and persuasively.